We'll Be a Dream
by FoolsRushIn
Summary: Barney and Robin see each other for the first time in awhile at Ted and Tracy's wedding.


Oh, hey guys remember me? Turns out all I needed to get me back to writing fic was a god awful finale. I've ranted about it enough since then, but what was that? Anyway, I just wanted to give B/R the happy ending they deserve. I know it's not all that great and there have been a million and one fics correcting the finale, but I hope you enjoy! :)

P.S. you can find me on tumblr at the url alisonnbries

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Robin knew when she made the decision to actually show up for Ted and Tracy's wedding that it would be a rough day. How could it not be? She was watching her ex-boyfriend get married to the love of his life, while she was single and lonely (not that she'd ever admit it).

She also had to spend the day with her ex-husband, which was fine because the divorce was amicable. Neither of them were marriage people. They tried to force it, it didn't work and that was okay. She threw herself into her career and Barney…well, he returned to his old ways. At least he did until Ellie was born, she reminded herself.

So, yes she knew it would be a rough day, which was why she already consumed several drinks. It was probably inappropriate. The rest of the group stuck to their one glass of celebration champagne, but she didn't care. So she stood at the bar and pretended to be in conversation with Carl just so she could avoid going back to the booth.

It was hard for her. When she left the group it wasn't out of spite that they all moved on; it was because she stopped understanding their world. She didn't want to sit at the booth while they all talked about the cute things their kids did. It was a constant reminder that they had someone to go home to, while she went home alone. And she wanted to be okay with it because this was the life she chose, but that didn't make it any less difficult.

Her eyes drifted over to Barney, who was smiling widely while showing off a picture of Ellie and it felt like her heart jumped into her throat. She knew why this day had been so rough and it wasn't that Ted got married or even that she had to spend time with Barney. No, she had been prepared to deal with both of those things.

Then she had shown up and Barney had said, "I don't think of you that way anymore." That really threw Robin for a loop. Regardless of what happened in their past…she always thought that love and those feelings would be there, but evidently she was wrong. And suddenly Robin just needed to get out of there because everyone was so happy and she somehow allowed herself to become irrelevant in all of her friends' lives and she hated herself for it.

She quickly made her way out of MacLaren's. She grabbed onto the railing outside for support as she blinked away tears. Then she heard Tracy's voice in her head, "sometimes even three deep breaths can change everything." So, Robin did what she had done many times over the years: closed her eyes and took three deep breaths. She felt oddly comforted afterward and she turned around fully prepared to go back inside.

"Barney." She was surprised, but at the same time Barney had always had a sixth sense regarding her. He knew when she needed him, every single time.

"Robin," he said softly and she froze. He hadn't said her name like that in such a long time, since their divorce. She shook her head and pointed to the door of MacLaren's. She couldn't do this with him. She started for the door, not even waiting for his reaction. "Robin, wait!" He repeated reaching out to touch her elbow lightly.

"Did you mean it?" She asked impatiently, whipping around to face him. Barney's mouth dropped open in surprise at her sudden action, but Robin continued to stare at him intently.

"Mean what?" Robin knew she could stop this now. She could say forget it and pretend she never asked the question. But part of her needed the answer. If she was ever going to truly move on from Barney, she had to know. So, she took another deep breath and soldiered on, probably with some help from the alcohol.

"What you said earlier today," she clarified. She couldn't actually make the words come out of her mouth. She watched Barney closely the next couple seconds as he realized what she meant.

"I-" He started, but Robin shook her head.

"Don't sugarcoat it for my sake. If you really don't anymore," she could almost feel herself get physically ill at the thought, but she was strong. She would keep going, no matter how Barney responded. "Then I want to know."

She couldn't look Barney in the eye, even if she wanted to. Instead, she took inventory of their surroundings, which was also not helpful, because she suddenly realized they were standing in the same exact place they were all those years ago. When Barney said that a day when he didn't talk to her was "no good." And as much as those words had warmed her heart those years ago, all they did now was remind her how far her and Barney had fallen from where they were.

"Robin, you know I'm always going to feel something for you." Barney said helplessly.

"Just not that way anymore. Got it." She nodded curtly. "Well, I'm going to go. Tell Ted and Tracy I said congrats."

"Dammit Robin! Stop running away." He yelled so loud that she stopped in her tracks. "Every time you come around it's for two hours and then we don't see you again for months!"

"Excuse me for not wanting to hang out with two married couples and my ex-husband constantly." She stated, instantly defensive.

"Do you think this is easy for me?" Robin nodded.

"Yes, I'm going to leave and you're going to go back into MacLaren's, sit down in that booth, and all five of you are going to start talking about your kids and it will be like I was never there."

"You're delusional!" Barney exclaimed in anger. "Do you know what it's like to see how happy Ted and Tracy and Marshall and Lily are with each other? This isn't just about kids, Robin. Do you honestly think I never miss you?"

"You have Ellie."

"I know and I love Ellie, more than anything. She is by far, one the greatest things to ever happen to me, but I'm still alone. Ellie goes to her mom's and it's just me." He shrugged letting his arms fall to his sides. "I miss _you_."

"It's not that easy and you know it. You can't just tell me you miss me and suddenly it's all back to normal." Robin maintained.

"Why can't it be though?"

"Because we're divorced, Barney!" She exclaimed. "We're divorced and it can't go back to normal."

"I never wanted to get a divorce." He protested and Robin's eyes widened in shock.

"No, no, no, no, no. You suggested it."

"You gave me an out, Robin! Of course I took it. You wouldn't have given me an out if you were happy." Yes, she had given him an out but it was because he seemed miserable. She always thought he realized married life wasn't for him. If she would've thought that he wanted to try, she never would have signed the divorce papers.

"You took it because you thought I wanted you to?" She asked meekly.

"I didn't want you to resent me later for holding you back in your career. So I took the out." She paused for a minute absorbing the information.

"I never would have resented you." She admitted. Barney rocked back and forth on his heels, as Robin picked at her nails. It was silent for a moment, before they both started to speak.

"I-"

"I-" Barney grinned widely at her and she realized how much she missed his stupid smile. "You go first."

"I miss you too." She confessed. "Your turn."

"I didn't mean it."

"You didn't?"

"Of course I didn't. Robin, no matter what has happened between us, you're still the greatest woman on the planet." He said sincerely. "I stand by what I said, you have a hold on my heart that I could not break if I wanted to." The corners of her lips turned up in a smile.

"I thought you were just bro-ing me out that night?" He shrugged, a soft smile on his face and she smiled right back. "So, what now?" She asked after several seconds of silence.

"Well, I'm baby-free for the rest of the day, so now we are going to go to the cigar bar and then maybe play some Battleship." He suggested wiggling his eyebrows and Robin couldn't help but laugh.

"Wait, I just-" She was nervous about this and she really needed to make sure they were on the same page here. "Can we take this slow? Because, and I'm about to sound like a total cheeseball," she warned him.

"Permission granted." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't think I can handle losing you again."

"You never lost me." She drew her eyebrows together in confusion. "Once a bro, always a bro." She smiled fondly at him and took a step forward wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. "Daddy's home." He murmured in her ear and she snorted.

"Never say that to me again." She requested, her face still pressed into his shoulder. He laughed and held her a little tighter.

"Duly noted."


End file.
